Darren Shan
by Starprize
Summary: Takes place after Darren gets scared away from his little people self. Terrible summary better story inside.
1. Chapter 1

Notes ! : Phew ~ Worked hard on this chapter and hope to get more people to fall in love with it like I have. I haven't seen many other fanfictions with what happens to Darren after he ran into his little person self. He got scared and ran away right? Well what happens next? What happens to the timeline? His journals? I got soooo curious I just got writing and well the first chapter just sort of happen.

But before we start just want to give my readers a little heads up before you jumped into awesomness. I firstly do not own any of the Darren Shan Saga, the plot or characters. Secondly there is and will be some major changes in characters and plots, the whole nine yards.

But enjoy, follow, favorite, forgive bad spelling and grammar mistakes and Review. I'm like any other writers, I _love_ reviews! I love reading them, they just make me know I'm doing a good job in the fanfic world. Don't be shy, criticize me. I like hearing your idea of what I'm doing wrong. Otherwise just tell me you can't live without another update ~

... Chapter One . . . Something Strange ...

My body moved before my mind fully woke up. I jerked up to a sitting position and couldn't help but to gasp for air. The air in my lungs relieved me a bit. It was like I just simply forgot how to breath. Instead of breathing normal, my breaths were short and shallow. I was shaking like a leaf in the wind and covered in a cold sweat. These were my symptoms of one of my strange nightmares.

My room was dark, dark as night. My window on the other hand, showed a painted picture of a beautiful early morning. The clashing of pink, orange and red painted an beautiful sight. Just how early was it? My dark brown orbs looked over to my night-stand where my digital alarm clock sat.

_5:27_

I've beat my alarm by three minutes. Normally, I would of been excited at this if I was going to school today. But my alarm was off, so I didn't have to go to school. My mom gave me permission to skip today. And being yet another teen who hated school, I was going to take full advantage of it.

I sighed deeply, it was the same dream I've been having for the last few years. Ever since me and my best friend went to that freak show. It wasn't that grey little person that scared me from going to the balcony. It was something completely different and well, scary.

My nightmares have been the same thing, playing over and over again. A figure draped in a dark, long, black cloak, with the hood up, stands before me with his hand extended. Everything within me is telling me to grab the man's white hand. Like it was natural. But there's this little part in me is screaming at me not to grab the man's hand.

I listen to the little part of me, and don't take the man's hand. When I don't accept his hand a very heavy load is taken off my chest. I actually feel lighter then before. But that isn't a good thing. The hooded stranger gets really pissed at me and screams something.

I can't understand it, it's English but still sounds so foreign. When he approaches me, and I take my first step back I some how fall down and I'm peering up at this hooded man, unable to see his face. The man is dark and scary. Scarier then anything I can think of.

When he pulls down his hood, I wake up. I've never seen this man's face, and something tells me I don't want to. That it's better not to see it.

So here I am sitting sweaty and panting, on my bed scared to death. This dream was different. I had no control over myself and reached out for the man's hand. His hand was cold as death and I didn't feel lighter. I instead felt very odd.

The feeling was hard to describe. He didn't take down his hood, and the words he spoke were as clear as these. His words are what woke me, in that dark voice he spoke.

"Happy Birthday, Mr. Shan."

I shivered violently. I would hear those words today, and it would only remind me of _him_. I looked back at the clock.

_5:30_

I might as well stay up now, there was no way in hell I was going to sleep. I was up for the day, for my birthday. Because today I was sixteen. It was a big number, but eighteen is what I'm shooting for. But I can wait another two years, I can't stay a child forever. Well, teenager.

I started my day like any other, well that was another lie. My head started throbbing like mad when I turned the light on in the bathroom. At first I thought mom finally got those energy saving lights, something about recycling, and I thought my eyes would adjust.

It only got worse, so I started the water for a nice hot shower, after the shower if my head still hurt, I would take some medicine. The shower did help, my head had mysteriously stopped hurting when I got in, even when I got out.

Maybe I got light headed or something?

I was wrapping the towel around my waist when something in the mirror caught my attention. It looked purplish red, the mirror was to foggy for me to see. But I wish I never wiped the mirror because what I saw was something I didn't want to describe.

In fear I stumbled back and fell on my butt. What was going on?! What the hell was that!? I slowly got up and peeked at the mirror. It was gone. I could only see myself. For the rest of the time in the bathroom I did my best to avoid the mirror.

My room shared no comfort, it seemed even more different then when I left it. Like something changed in it. The light was on and nothing was touched, everything was just the way I left it. I sighed, it was all in my mind. I was just having a bad morning, it would look up later in the day.

I was debating whether I should go to school or not. I mean any kid would love to skip school, but I was already up and, kind of bored. I was dressed in my normal clothes, all my homework was done. I sighed again and decided to play one of my playstation 3 games.

"Leaving your window open? Tsk Tsk Tsk Darren!"

I jumped at the voice and turned around in my computer chair (It was both my computer and gaming chair) to see the guy. I knew by the voice who it was.

"Steve! You ass!" I hissed shaking my head.

Steve crawled through my window and shook his head, and well scolded me.

"You know there are weirdo's out there. What if one of them happened to see that a cute little boy sleeping with his bedroom window open? They could crawl in and bam, need I say more?" He threw his bag on my bed and sat at the edge.

Steve has been weird ever since we left that freak show. I honestly didn't know why. He stayed after the show, I would of have known what happened if it wasn't for that creepy little grey person. Scared the hell out of me and forced me out.

"I don't think a weirdo would want to crawl through my window when they know I have a vampire loving freak who crawls through it almost every chance he gets."

Steve smiled as if I gave him a compliment. That's how it is. Steve has some sort of thing with vampires, and I have a thing for spiders. I guess that's how we became friends, we're both freaks. He's just more violent then I am.

"Very true, I am after all a very scary man." He said grinning like a fool "Plus I would most likely murder them if they hurt my friend." He shrugged.

"Murder? A little extreme?" I asked with a small smile.

There was a sound from my game that said I didn't pause it and died. Groaning I turned back to see that my character, was laying on the ground and the words "MISSION FAILED" written in a blood read across the screen.

"Damn it." I shook my head turning myself back around to see a smirk across Steve's face as if to ask "Is that what passes as _extreme_ now a days?"

Killing people was extreme, and knowing Steve he'd probably do it. After all, when I got into high school things weren't looking up as the best for me. My life turned into one of those ironic movies. (You know the one where the head cheerleader dates the quarter back of the football team?)

For some reason the quarter back has painted a nice red and big target on my back. And him and his team us to pick on me. The team stopped after Steve, my over extreme friend, put his ass in the hospital with a black eyes and a few broke ribs. But the quarter back still has his jabs in, but behind Steve's back.

"Happy birthday Darren." Steve said with a small smile. "Now, come to school Darren."

Steve was in trouble if he missed any more school days. His mother went to court already for the days missed. And so now Steve was forced to go to the one place he hated the most, besides his home, high school. And since his mother's boyfriend was a police officer, Steve had no other choice.

Steve's mom met her new boyfriend after she came to pick Steve up, he was arrested after beating the shit out of the quarter back.

I didn't want to go to school, but what would I do here? Play video games all day? Be forced to help mom with her normal day of being a house wife? She'd probably pull me into helping her with her stamp collection. Something I wouldn't like doing. I would most likely tend to the garden before dad got home and pulled out all the weeds.

"Give me a good reason, and I will."

My voice was soft and barely above a whisper. But Steve heard it as if I yelled it. A smile crossed his face, a 'oh I have a great reason' smile.

"I'll give you the best birthday you've ever had."

"And that would be?"

Steve sighed. "You have to wait till the end of the day. Which you'll only get if you go to school with me."

"You just want me to do your school work."

With that we both smiled and laughed lightly. Steve was passing most of his classes because of me. We were in one class together out of our few. I was in advanced classes with Alan, while Tommy and Steve were in the normal standard classes. Steve wouldn't be passing if it weren't for me.

"No, because if I go to school without you, I will might end up blowing it up or shooting up the football team."

I smiled again and told him I would go to school today, just for him, so he wouldn't blow up the school. I don't think my mother would mind if I didn't take this day off of school, I mean, she should be happy that I want to attend school?

It wouldn't be good if I missed a day. Not with those soccer scouts scouting me, Tommy, and two other guys on our schools soccer team. Steve wasn't one of those people sadly. But he said he didn't mind it. Soccer wasn't his main goal in life. He wanted to be a director of movies. Mostly horror movies. I could honestly say I wasn't expecting that choice of career for him. I mean I could see him in the horror section of movies, but hey, what can you say?

"I think you would like my gift better then anyone else." He promised.

"Mr. Leopard! Are you jealous I might like Tommy's or Alan's gift better?" I pretended to be shocked.

Steve gave me a light glare, seeing through my sarcastic response. Within the few years Steve had lost all the pigment in his hair, and it turned to a silver color. Most people just assumed he dyed his hair. The changing of his hair happened over the summer, it didn't really sit well with the teachers. But they learned to get over it.

"I doubt it. My gift it ten times better!" He laughed walking over to my window. "See you in school." He said and left my out my window. Leaving me there shaking my head lightly, asking myself why he even came in my room in the first place.

He is a fool, and so am I. After those few years away from that place. He was expecting to take me back? At first it was a good idea, but it would soon crumbling the changed future. Exposing things that were meant to stay hidden.


	2. Chapter 2

Notes ! : :D

... Chapter Two . . . Tickets ...

I met up with Steve, Tommy, and Alan in our normal meeting spot, just right outside school. It was the same place me, Tommy, and Alan waited when Steve had the tickets for the freak show.

"Hey Mr. Sixteen." Tommy greeted with a big smiled and a "Bro-hug".

"Thought you weren't coming today." Alan smiled at me. Alan wasn't the one for physical contact. Yes, he played soccer like the rest of us, but he wasn't on the team anymore and only played when he wasn't in the science club.

"I wasn't planning on it, but then changed my mind." I smiled back at my three best friends and gestured towards Steve.

"Oh, I wonder what changed it?" Steve asked already knowing why I was here. His voice was filled with sarcasm. We four laughed lightly, and fell into silence.

"That's amazing!" Tommy said out loud as if he was thinking it but ended up saying. We all looked at him a bit confused.

"I just so happen to have your present on me!" He said shoving his binder to Alan and began digging through his pockets, than his bag.

The rest of us exchanged glances as Tommy explained.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't miss school, so I brought them."

It took him another few seconds before taking out two white pieces of paper. They looked laminated and had a picture of what looked like a person? Maybe two?

He handed them to me and said. "You and me, at this game."

I gave him a strange look when I took the tickets. I understood when I saw the game. All I could do was laugh. Not in a mean way, but in a surprised and excited way. They were two tickets to the upcoming soccer game. Not the local high school ones, but the college ones. It was the team trying to recruit me and Tommy against their rival team.

"Dude! This is freaken awesome!" I wasn't sure if I should hug the man or just to keep staring at the two perfect tickets! I wasn't sure how Steve was going to beat this! So far this was one of my favorite birthday presents out of my life!

"Yea, I know." Tommy nodded basking in the 'Best birthday present ever' light. "And the game's this weekend." He informed me. I shot a glance to Steve, who shrugged lightly.

"Alright, this weekend!"

The bell rang for people to hurry our butts to class.

.. ~0~ ..

I wasn't that popular guy everyone knew, but I was still pretty known. Most my popularity came from my skills in soccer, and that fact that I went to a freak show back in my middle school years.

I still get people asking about the freak show. It's a hazy memory, almost like a dream, I can remember some of it, but the rest is a blur. Except for that creepy little person, scared the crap out of me then forced me out of the old theater.

_Happy Birthday Mr. Shan . . ._

My body shuddered at that creepy voice. I have been getting many, 'happy birthday!' from everyone but my head keeps bringing me to that voice. Its not familiar or anything, I've never heard it until today.

School was like any other day, besides the happy birthdays and the occasional birthday song sung in a off key to me. The day went fast, I even went to soccer practice. Which wasn't a good thing, the coach, being such a charmer, said since it was my birthday, I get to run sixteen extra laps. It wasn't fun, and practice wouldn't start until I was finished, so I had to run at a fast speed to finish those laps. And by the end of practice all I wanted to do was sleep.

Tommy drove everyone home, well over to my house. It was the normal gang which was formed of Steve, Alan and me. Tommy was going to take a shower over at my house, I was to, but at a different time. Alan finished his job at the science club, and came and sat with Steve to watch the last remaining minutes of soccer practice. Steve made up some lie how he couldn't do practice today and had to sit down and watch practice.

"Welcome home boys!" Mom said as we came through the front door. It wasn't a surprise that mom knew we were home, besides the kitchen window having full view of the drive way and front yard, she could probably hear me shushing them when he got into the house. My mom wasn't much for cussing, she allowed it, but didn't like it when some dropped the "F-bomb" as she called it.

"Hey Mrs. Shan!" Tommy and Alan called, me and Steve just said 'hey mom'. Steve considered my mom more of a mom then his. No one could blame him, between hanging out with her friends and her new boyfriend, she wasn't putting up any effort up to get to know her own son.

Like this was any other day, we all migrated up to my room and did what we normally did. Alan started on his homework, willing to help anyone else that need help. Even though no one else was going to do their homework till later. Steve fired up my Playstation 3, probably hoping to piss people off on my account. And Tommy headed off for a shower.

"Darren I think you should take a shower first this time." Tommy started getting out the clothes he wore today. "It's your birthday after all."

I shook my head. "It's fine, if I take one first all the hot water would be gone." I chuckled lightly and Steve chimed in saying that my words were true. Tommy smiled and laughed lightly.

"We could just take one together, it would save water."

The room went quiet and we all looked up at Tommy, completely thrown off guard. But from the smile Tommy was wearing, it was obvious to tell he was only joking. I smiled at him.

"Ehh, I'll have to save it for a later date, I'm not one to share a shower." I said brushing it off like it was no big deal and sat on the edge of my bed, about to start a conversation with Alan.

"Well, if you change your mind, you know where I am." Tommy joked and left the room to the weird silence. I couldn't tell half the time if Tommy was being serious of just fooling around. It was hard to tell with that guy.

Tommy was an attractive guy, he was tall, built and good with people. Though relationships were his down fall. His relationships with the girls he's dated didn't last long, his longest had to be three months, his shortest a whole school day.

The rest of the afternoon passed by like it normally would, Tommy came back from the shower I went to take a quick one. When I came back Tommy and Steve were competitively playing a game, Steve winning and Tommy not far behind him. Alan was watching cheering the guys on.

Most people's "sweet sixteen" were something big and flashy. Mine wasn't like that, I honestly grew out of birthdays two years ago. I didn't want parties nor big gifts I didn't have to pay for. I was cool just hanging out with my friends and doing what he normally did everyday. Watching Steve and Tommy fight over a game, while me and Alan watched. I liked it and hoped it would forever say like this. Even when we got older, we all would come over to my house play video games and be ourselves.

Mom did bring up some nice chocolaty cupcakes for everyone just an hour before everyone went home. They didn't last long between Steve's and Tommy's always hungry stomach. I swear me and Alan only got like two out of the sixteen.

"Steve you want me to take you home?"

Tommy asked picking up his gym bag, that had his soccer practice clothes in. Steve looked over at me then shook his head. "I don't want to go back to that place. James might be there." Steve said leaning back in my computer chair.

James was the guy Steve's mom was currently dating, and the one who she brought home to meet Steve. They didn't click, James was an officer of the law, and Steve was on the other side of the law. I'm pretty sure James arrested Steve more than once.

"Alright, have fun you two." Tommy smiled leaving the room.

"See you guys later." Alan smiled and waved.

Once they left the room Steve paused his game and walked over to the window. My window just had the view of the driveway, our neighbor's yard and side of their house. Then the tree Steve climbed to get into my window.

He stood there for a few seconds before walking to the other side of the room, to where his bag sat next to my computer desk. He then started rummaging through his bag. During all this, he didn't say a word.

I tried peeking to see what he was doing, but it proved useless, so I just sat back down. He wasn't explaining anything, just digging through his bag, in silence. It was killing me. Was this suppose to be his 'best birthday present' thing he talked about this morning? Or maybe it was something else?

Steve stood up and hid something behind his back, something I didn't see. I met his eyes, hoping he would explain just what he was doing. But he remained silent.

"Steve?" I asked leaning back on my bed and propping myself up with my elbows.

"Behold." He said. "The best birthday present in the world." And with that he pulled out the two green pieces of paper out from behind his back. I stared in shock and grabbed the two darkly toxic green tickets that brought up so many memories.

They were two tickets for the_ Cirque Du Freak!_


	3. Chapter 3

Notes ! : Thanks for the awesome reviews, for what Darren has instore? Well Destiny has a funny way of repeating itself. Just in a more harsher ways, ways that will change the young boys life.

. . . Chapter Three ... Memories . . .

"Seriously?!" I asked completely breathless starting at the two tickets. I couldn't believe it, I was holding these to dark toxic green tickets. It reminded me of those four years ago. The whole suspense if Steve got the tickets, the voice in my head when the tickets fell from the sky, the show, the acts and the wolf-man.

"Yea, I kind of left you when it all ended to confront - " He paused stopping his sentence and looked up at me. Even though I heard it clearly, I pretended not to notice, I acted as if I was captivated by the two dark tickets. I turned them over and looked for any signs that could make this a fake. " - I just can't get over myself for being such a jack-ass." He smiled once I looked up at him.

"How in the hell did you get these?" I asked knowing that there was no show in town. If there was, I was sure that someone would of told me or Steve. Then a teacher would of found out, and once again, like in Mr. Dalton's class, everyone would get scolded.

"A Gamer friend of mine. We meet time to time and talk. He brought it up over the chat, I knew what he was talking about but people didn't believe him." Steve shrugged. "So I bought the tickets from him yesterday."

"But, I didn't think the Cirque was playing in town!"

"They aren't."

I gave him a confused stare, if they weren't playing here at the old theater, then where were they playing? Steve laughed at me and explained.

"This friend of mine lives a town over, they're preforming at some abandoned insane asylum. It seems fitting for a group of freaks."

I smiled at the joke. "When?"

"Tonight."

Tonight? How in the hell are we suppose to get there? I didn't own a car, I had a permit, but that was just about it. Out of our group of four Tommy and Steve had a car. Well just Tommy, Steve borrowed his mothers car, she barely left the house when James came over.

I highly doubted that Tommy was going to drive us, and if memory served correctly, the show started at nine or eleven.

"How are we going to get there?" I asked eyeing him.

"We'll go to my house and get my moms car and drive there." He stuck his tongue out at me like it was obvious that I should of thought about it. "Just tell your mom that you don't want to go to a school tomorrow because Alan's taking you to a late night movie." The silver hair Steve shrugged.

My mother wont let me go anywhere with Steve again. The first time I got high, and tasted alcohol. My mother found out and it was hell to pay. Steve wasn't allowed over to the house for three straight months, nor was I allowed to go to his house.

"I thought James might be there."

"So? What's he going to do? Arrest me because I'm taking the car? Shit as long as I'm in school and he's screwing my mom he couldn't give to shits what I'm doing."

I pinched the bridge of my nose the unwanted thoughts of his mother and the officer James together like that was burning holes into my brain.

/-_-_-\

The road we walked on was quiet. My mother bought the lie, and said I could go. I had a feeling she knew what I was actually going to do. Have a late night with the guys. But she didn't say anything, and for once my mother was a very cool mom.

No cars came down this road at this time of day. So the road was completely empty and two teenage boys walked the center. The silver haired trouble making attempting to walk the perfect straight line on the middle of the road, while the dark brown haired teen, me, walked a couple steps behind him, not trying to walk the perfect line.

Steve was talking about the upcoming show. The acts, the extras being sold (Which were suppose to be on him.) and if anything had changed in those four years. As we walked down this never ending road, my body started to feel heavy.

Like my bones and muscles were turning into lead. I assumed it as nothing more than the effect of sixteen extra laps from soccer practice. Taking my eyes from the old road I looked down the road, hoping to see Steve's house.

Which was about a ten minute walk, we could of cut the time in half by walking through the park but unfortunately there was a bunch of children and Steve didn't want to deal with the "Snot-nosed brats".

But instead I saw the cloaked figure from my dream, the man covered in a thick black cloak. I stopped dead in my tracts, Steve didn't notice me or the figure. I stared at the figure, unsure if I should call out to Steve and tell him or if I should do nothing.

"Darren..." A voice echoed darkly in my head.

"Join us..." The voice seemed to grow louder and louder, still keeping its dark tone. "It's your Destiny to join us. And there is no way to escape Destiny."

The voice was so loud that my head was spinning. At the end of the sentence a loud ear ringing screech filled my ears. This made me cup my hads around my hears and squat down, my knees were in my face.

Steve finally noticed that I wasn't right behind him, spinning around he came to my aid.

"Darren? Darren whats wrong?!" His voiced was muffled, kind of like he was talking underwater. I barely heard it over the screeching.

Hands were placed on my shoulders and I was shook lightly, Steve repeating his sentence over and over until the sound of a car horn silenced the screeching. I opened my eyes, not even knowing I had closed them. Steve had stood up to yell at the driver to go around. Who didn't seem so happy to have two teenagers sitting in the middle of the road.

They exchanged a few harsh words and the man sped off when Steve threatened to slash the man's tires.

"Darren?" He asked again squatting in front of me, his voice surprisingly low and gentle.

What was that? He was normally in my dreams! Why was he standing there? Why hadn't Steve see him? What did he mean join them? What was I suppost to do? What did Destiny have in store for me?


	4. Chapter 4

Notes ! : Special treat :3 Twice updates! That's two chapters(Counting this one)

Chapter Four – Tickets in toxic green

The smooth sailing on just going into Steve's house getting the car keys and leaving didn't sail too smoothly. James was there, him and Steve's mom was sitting on the couch watching some kind of movie. They both looked up at us as the door opened and Steve's words.

"Mom, I'm borrowing the car."

Normally in situations like this, without James, his mother would of said just bring the car back without any scratches. But the bastard James was there and he had a few things to say. They got into a small argument where it ended with Steve's mom pulling on his arm, while I stood between the two.

Cop or not, James had a short fuse when it came to Steve. At first I hoped that it wouldn't turn into a fight, which would make this situation even worse. Meaning no Cirque Du Freak. This whole thing ended out good in a way. Steve's mom tossed me the keys and sent us on our way while she started yelling at James.

During the whole the whole car ride it was nothing but Steve randomly beating on the steering wheel, him cussing out James, and going way over the speed limit. I was surprised how we never got pulled over the whole time.

I was silent the whole time and just let him rant. The more he got it out his system the less I had to hear about it later. We were way ahead of schedule so we stopped to eat. It was a nice restaurant, nothing fancy. But even then, the service was very slow, but the foot was amazing; even if we had to suck down the food to make it.

Strangely we made it right on time. I just assumed that we were going to make it late. Nope, there were at least three other people who spotted us before we even got to the door of the abandoned building. It brought back to many memories, mostly of the kid who threw himself off the balcony.

We walked in with a group of girls, older then us but still very attractive. Steve attempted to lay down his game. I could only smile at this; Steve's game wasn't that strong. He could say funny stuff. But soon enough he'll slip up and say something about vampires of mystical creatures, scaring the girls away.

"Can I help you five?" The voice made me and the girls jump, Steve only turned to face the man. Then with a small gasp we all turned to face the man, the very tall man.

The tall man looked to be glaring, but in this dimmed light I was sure. The place wasn't lit the brightly, it was barely lit by candles that were scattered against what I assumed was the walls. The man was so tall that his head almost touched the ceiling. He had huge bony hands and eyes that were pitch black. I remember this man. He was the same one from the first time me and Steve came here.

He looked at Steve then me, his gaze stayed on me for a few seconds longer before speaking.

"Well, I guess I can't call you boys anymore." His voice seemed a lot tenser than in the beginning. "You're all grown up." His voice was as deep and croaky as a frog but his lips hardly seemed to move. It was just as I remember.

"Yea all grown up…" Steve smiled up at the tall man, in who I couldn't remember his name. He looked as cool as ice, you had to be standing next to him to feel his light shaking, and I was standing right next to him.

"I assume you are here to see the show?" He looked at the girls standing behind us, one on them digging their nails into my arms like I was going to protect them. Something in me told me that he wasn't going to hurt us. I felt like a small part of me knew him in some weird way. "Do you have tickets?"

"Yes we do." Steve elbowed me making me pull out my tickets, one of the girls reached over my shoulder and handed me their three tickets. In which I held up with a nervous smile.

"Very good, Darren." He nodded. "My name is Mr. Tall, and like I have told you two before, I own this Cirque Du Freak." He smiled his teeth black and nasty, a few of them missing and his tongue yellow. The grip on the girl's nails tightened digging deeper into my skin.

I didn't question how he remembered my name, nor did Steve. We had already gone down that road before and didn't bother going down that road again.

"Umm, are you three friends?" One of the girls squeaked.

Steve and I exchanged glances at Mr. Tall spoke. We had only met that once and that was almost four years ago. Mr. Tall laughed lightly and looked over at the girls. With his tall figure he looked right over me and Steve at the girl.

"No, we've only met once, when they were boys." The girls behind us all flinched. "I know lots of things, some things people aren't supposed to know."

He turned around before anyone could speak. "Now let us go, there isn't much time till the show starts." He started walking, he didn't take giant steps instead he took normal short ones. Memories were slowly coming back, with that turn he would vanish and end up at the end of the hall sitting down.

We followed him, keeping some distance between us and him. The older girl, who had her nails dug into my arm, moved her hands down to mine where she held them. I snuck a cocky smile at Steve who didn't have any girls holding his hand. He met my glance with a small glare.

I was right, when we turned the corner he wasn't two or three steps ahead of us. He was not sitting behind a long table with a velvet red covering. The velvet cloth reached all the way down to the dirty floor. He was wearing a dark red top hat and a pair of white gloves.

"Tickets, please," He said as we approached. I handed him everyone's tickets, in which he took them from me, opened his mouth and ate them. He washed it down with a small cup of tea.

"Very well you four can go." Mr. Tall said stopping everyone, there was five of us, not four.

"Excuse me, Mr. Tall." I said, being the only one who spoke. "You said that we four could go, there are five of us."

Mr. Tall looked at me with his dark eyes, a smile formed as the girl's grip on my hand tightened. "An observant one." He said as if he was supposed to have thought it. "Well Darren, I said four because one of the tickets was a fake." His eyes shot to the girl who was holding my hand.

"Each flyer is only worth two tickets, but these three girls all wanted to go together, so they made an extra one. And she had the fake one." If her grip could tighten anymore it did. "So everyone but her can go."

Silence hung in the air like a murderer had just confessed to us. The girls knew what was going on, but Steve and I didn't. I sighed lightly, I had already seen the show, and this girl probably didn't. It only seemed right to do that. I know Steve would be pissed, but still.

"She can have my ticket."

Everyone looked at me in utter surprise, Steve being the only one who was pissed. The small smile on Mr. Tall's face grew.

"Darren what the hell are you doing?" Steve asked, trying his best not to go off on me. I was going to explain that we've already seen it and they probably won't ever get a chance like this again. But Mr. Tall spoke.

"Very well, all five of you may go." Once again everyone looked at him in complete silence.

"Darren has already worked plenty for a ticket. You five may go." He gestured us and no one bothered to question it. Well Steve did when we all walked into the make shift theater.

"Worked plenty?" He asked nudging my side. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

I shrugged, "I have no clue what he meant. Maybe he knows my grades are way more perfect than yours."

Steve rolled his eyes and looked for a seat. I assumed the girls were going to sit with us. After all, the girl with the phony ticket was still holding tightly on to my hand. The place wasn't that packed, but there still were a lot of people. Steve found us some seats in the front; the whole front row was empty. I smiled knowing how the people here might have feared what was to come. But I doubt the wolf creature was going to eat off anyone's arm.

Steve sat at the end, I sat next to him and the girls sat on the other side of me. The girl retracted her arm and gave me a silent thank you, then went on to gossiping with her friends.

"Darren Shan, the lady killer." Steve mocked slouching in the seat.

"Oh, now is the rebel Steve leopard jealous because I had one hold my hand?" I smiled at him.

We sat there in silence for about thirty minutes before someone walked up on stage. This person didn't speak, but I knew too well who it was. The man in the cloak. I held my breath and pretended like I was listening to Steve, not looking at the man.

"Darren Shan!" He called in a loud and booming voice. "This young man has escaped his destiny! We should give him a round of applause!" No applause was given because no one noticed him. I didn't my best to ignore him to.

"Very good, a man who escaped destiny isn't one that needs applause." He took two steps forward. "But destiny has a funny way of working itself out. Because once again here the man is! Back in the same place! Now, let's see if destiny will replay the tragic story of death and hate again."

With that the lights dimmed and the hooded figure disappeared. My heart was racing, who was that? What the hell was going on? Why was it me he was after?

"Darren is it?" I flinched looking over at the girl. "I'm Jessica; thank you for what you did."

I smiled at her. "I couldn't let anyone miss out on something that only happens once in a life time." She smiled back.

Jessica had bright green eyes and dyed bright red hair. On her lip was a piercing, and another piercing was on her nose. She wore normal blue jeans and a dark brown V-neck t-shirt.

Once the theater was pitch black a green light was switched on and the stage lit up. The dust exploded from the stage making it look like it came from a fog machine. Two men came out pulling a cage, it was on wheels and covered with what looked like a giant black cloth. When they were in the middle of the stage once of the men pulled off the black cloth. Screaming filled the air as the two men left the stage.

Jessica grabbed my hand again and squeezed she too was screaming. The only two people who weren't screaming was Steve and I. Because we knew that this was the Wolf-man.


	5. Chapter 5

Notes! : Going to start taking some stuff from the movie now :3 Can you guess which parts I'm going to use without reading?

Chapter Five – Mirror of a lost boy

The screaming died down; everyone seemed pretty excited about the whole thing. Kind of like when they were on a roller coaster. The screaming was because they weren't scared, they were excited.

They knew they were safe; the wolf man was in a cage and chained down. There was no way he could get out and attack everyone. He looked the same after four years.

He was still very ugly, and was covered in dark brown hair. He only wore a piece of cloth around his middle, almost like Tarzan, so everyone could see his hairy legs and belly. His face was covered in hair, and he had a snout like a wolf. Growling he bared his yellowish red teeth.

Seeing, more like smelling, he could tell that he wasn't alone. Roaring loudly he shook the bars and roared. Jessica squeaked but ended up laughing at herself.

"This is pretty frightening huh?" She asked.

"It was at first, but after a second time, you kind of get used to it." I nodded.

It was five minutes of the wolf man roaring and shaking the bars, not once did the crowd calm down during those five minutes. But the wolf man sat down and Mr. Tall appeared.

"Ladies and Gentleman," His voice was loud and croaky, everyone could hear him speak. "Welcome to the Cirque Du Freak, home of the world's most remarkable human beings."

I knew this speech, I didn't know it all word for word, but me and Steve, we were like veterans. We knew what was going to come next.

"We are an ancient circus." He said still continuing his speech. "We have toured for five hundred years, bringing the grotesque to generation after generation. Our lineup has changed many times, but never our aim, which is to astound and terrify you! We present acts both frightening and bizarre, acts you can fine nowhere else in the world."

He paused for a second as if to take in air. "Those who are easily scared should leave now," He warned in a stern tone. "I'm sure there are people who came tonight thinking this was a joke. Maybe they thought our freaks would be people in masks, or harmless misfits. THIS is not so! Every act you see tonight is real. Each performer is unique. And none are harmless."

Steve and I exchanged smiling looks. Though when I looked over at Jessica she wasn't smiling, she looked kind of scared.

"Hey, don't worry." I told her. "No one here will hurt anyone in the crowd." I promised knowing the situation where the woman had her arm bitten off wouldn't happen again.

She gave me a small smile and turned back towards the stage, still holding my hand. Two women came out on stage, one with long silver hair and the other with short spiked blue hair. They were wearing shinny suits, the kinds the assistants in magic shows wear, one as silver the other gold. Mr. Tall had walked off stage.

The silver haired woman opened the cage and held one of the chains that held the wolf man. The other chains fell off of him, except the one around his neck. He growled and howled, and the silver haired woman didn't show fear; instead she raised her hand up and did something with her fingers while the woman with blue hair spoke.

"You must be very quiet." She had a foreign accident that was hard to place. "The wolf man will not be able to hurt you as long as my sister controls him, but any loud sounds could wake him up, and that's very deadly!"

Steve had a smile on his face when they started moving the wolf man. Like last time he was going to touch the wolf man. The women beside the wolf man were silent as they lead the wolf man down stage. The blue haired woman spoke lightly, saying you could touch the beast if you wanted to, but like a cat, you had to do it gently.

Steve reached out and touched the wolf man, his fingers brushed against the wolf man's hair. Sitting back normally he smiled at me and the curious three girls.

"Still feels spiky, almost like a hedgehog." He didn't smell his fingers. "Probably still smells like burning rubber to."

Half down the rows someone spoke loudly. It was a man sitting at the edge of his row.

"He's probably not that dangerous!" His voice was loud and booming, a type of loud that would wake up a hypnotized wolf-man. The wolf man howled darkly shoving the women away and taking a giant bit out of the man's extended arm.

People started screaming, and those nearest to him leaped from their seats and ran. The man was screaming in pain. I assumed Mr. Tall was going to stop this whole thing but the blue haired girl jumped to her feet and yelled. "Zaka mo tempo."

And the wolf man froze, the arm dropping from his mouth, and he fell over, asleep. The place fell silent except for the man who got his arm bitten off. And the strangest thing happened. He was screaming in pain, he was laughing?

The man stood up and held his arm in the air, the weirdest thing happened. The man's hand grew back! It started with bones, then the tissue, then skin! The silver haired woman started leading people back to their seats while her sister moved the wolf man back to his cage.

Mr. Tall was back at the stage helping the blue haired woman put the wolf man in his cage. The silver haired woman and the strange man walked back to stage when everyone was sitting back down in their seats, still fearful of the severed arm that turned to dust and cluttered the floor.

"Cormac Limbs!" Mr. Tall announced when the man came up on stage showing his arm was just as good as new. "Cormac has a talent to grow –"

I turned to Jessica, not listening to the story on Cormac. "Do you think you could maybe loosen your grip?"

With that she drew her hand back. "Oh, I'm sorry didn't know I was squeezing so hard."

Instead of putting her hand back in mine, she rested both hands on her lap gave me an apologetic smile and looked back up at the stage. Cormac was a tall man, about six foot three. He had short blond hair, styled in the super man kind of way and pale brown eyes. He was wearing a grey t-shirt and bleached jeans.

When Mr. Tall, Cormac limbs, the two girls, and the wolf man left the stage the next few acts came on. Alexander Ribs came one, me and Steve remembered him. He was more of a comedy act than a scary one. After him came Rhamus Twobellies, doing his famous act of eating a bunch of stuff under a few minutes. People guessed his time and he beat it.

A bunch of small people came out in blue robes, their face hidden by the hood and the shadow it brought. They started selling a lot of the same items from before. All five of us bought something, but the selling of these novelty items didn't last long. Mr. Tall came back up on stage and started speaking.

"There will be more novelties later. So don't spend all your money right away."

Steve and I exchanged a glance as a little person with a glass statue walked by, and two of the girls had the same conversation Steve and I had when Steve asked for the price. We almost laughed honestly. It was the best déjà vu.

When the gifts and the little people in the blue hoods gone; next was supposed to the bearded lady. She came out with no beard, but strangely looked a lot hotter then I last remember her. Mr. Tall introduced her as Truska, and how she was still a little new to the whole performing thing.

Mr. Tall walked off the stage and Truska waved by to him, which caused a few people to laugh. She was really beautiful. She was slender with long thick black hair that reached down to her waist; her hair was in a braid. She was wearing many different colors with a lot of slashes and gaps between them showing off her beautiful tanned skin. A lot of men shifted in their seats and cough, when I was younger I didn't understand, but now, I do greatly.

Truska smiled looking over at the crowd but stopped when she looked at me and Steve. Tilting her head she walked forward, stopping at the edge of the makeshift stage. She sat down, letting her slender, exposed, legs dangle off the edge.

With a finger she gestured for either me or Steve. Everyone's eyes looked down at us. I pointed to Steve, she shook her head no. I pointed to myself and she nodded and beckoned me up again. I looked over at Jessica who looked excited that I was being beckoned up there. Swallowing I stood up and walked to the edge where Truska stood up and helped me up the stage.

She turned me around and gestured to the whole crowd that I was that random lucky guy to help her with her act, which was growing her beard.

"No fear." She said quietly, she sounded like she was just learning the language. After four years I assumed she would have mastered it. "Hooded man can't hurt you."

At first I thought it was because I was on stage, in front of all those people. But no, it was for the hooded man who has been haunting my dreams, and who recently invaded my real life. How did she know? "Don't give him power." She said grabbing my hands at the wrists. "He is you. No power, no fear."

Bringing my hands to the sides of her face she slowly slid them down, and under my hands I could feel her beard growing. I couldn't smile, not after what she told me. So she could see him as well?

Once the beard left her chin she let go of my hands and the beard kept growing all the way down to the floor. My hands dropped to my side. "Gold bar." She said, and I knew what she wanted me to say to the crowd. So I turned to face them, a forced smile on my lips.

"The Cirque Du Freak will give one solid bar of gold to anyone who can slice off Truska's beard!" Mr. Tall came out and handed me a pair of scissors, in which I held them up high. Mr. Tall held up the gold bar to show that they were not kidding when it came to giving away a gold bar.

"You are a natural Darren." Mr. Tall said once a line started to form. The first was a woman who asked to use her own scissors. Mr. Tall nodded and we took a step back, letting her attempt to cut off her beard.

"Well, like you said, I have worked enough to get a ticket." He looked down at me and looked over me as if I knew something that he also knew, but my clueless look made him smile.

"Yes, a young man like you would do wonders if you came to work at the Cirque." I gave him a blank stare, was he seriously asking me to come work at the Cirque? He continued speaking in a low voice as the next person came up and took the scissors from me. "But I don't think it would be a good idea, you have many plans ahead of you, and taking you from your soccer career would only hurt you." He gestured me to go back to my seat, where I was the center of attention to the four around me.

The minutes wore on and no one could cut her beard. Not even a pair of garden shears! It was strange, even for the second time, because as it grew, it felt like normal hair.

Once it was all over Turska took the center of the stage, a lot of people expecting me to get right back up there with her. But I stay seated, she didn't even gesture me to get up there with her. Stroking her cheeks the bear started to grew back in, like someone placed her on rewind. She left after her beard grew back in and a huge round of applause came.

The next act came out; this man was named Hans Hands. He told his life story and challenged anyone to a race. No one could beat the man who raced on his hands.

There was a short pause after Hans had left, Mr. Tall took his time when he came out and spoke sternly. "Ladies and gentleman," He said. "Our next act is another unique and perplexing one. It can also be quite dangerous, so I ask that you make no noise and do not clap until you are told it is safe."

The whole place fell silent, and Jessica's hand found mine again. Honestly between holding a Jessica's hand, and touching Truska's face, I was feeling rather cocky.

When it was quiet enough, Mr. Tall introduced the next act, "Mr. Crepsley, Madam Octa, and his assistant Trevor."

The lights went low again and a man came on stage, with a boy behind him. Mr. Cepsley was a tall and thin man with very pale skin and a head of orange hair. He had a large scar running down his left cheek. It reached to his lips and made it look like his mouth was stretching up the side of his face.

"Why so serious?" Steve whispered to me making me burst out laughing, my laugh echoed throughout the silent room. I cover my mouth with my free hand as Mr. Cepsley looked over at us. I was still smiling under my mouth. The man's look was hard and icy. I turned to scold Steve for making me laugh, but there was something different about him.

He was very much relaxed, sitting in a sort of slouched position, his legs crossed, arms folded, and a very knowing smile on his face. And I swear he mouthed the words, "Bad blood."

What the hell did that mean?

I turned back at Mr. Crepsley who raised his head high and continued with his act. He was dressed in dark-red clothes. He took a small bow as the boy put the cage, which held the glorious spider (Such a beauty was hard to forget) on the table that had been moved out.

The boy looked to be about the same age I was when I first saw my first Cirque Du Freak show. He had short black hair and dark brown eyes, almost the same color as mine. Trevor wore was looked like an old suit, dirty and run down. He almost looked like some kid that rose from the grave.

I feel as if I know that kid, But from where?


	6. Chapter 6

Notes ! : Still love reviews, so don't be shy and tell me a thing or two about this story that you like or don't like :3

Chapter Six – Snake bites

It was hard to forget a very magnificent spider like Madam Octa. I couldn't wait to see that beautiful spider. I tried to google her, but came up with nothing. She was extremely hard to find. I wish I had a beautiful spider like her.

"It's not true that all tarantulas are poisonous," Mr. Crepsley said, his voice still deep. I looked back at Steve, it seemed the two were staring at each other. "Most are as harmless as the spiders you find anywhere in the world. And those which are poisonous normally only have enough poison in them to kill very small creatures."

Steve looked the same as he did when he mouthed "Bad blood".

"But some are deadly!" He went one, "some can kill a man with one bite. They are rare and only found in extremely remote areas, but they do exist. I have one such spider."

I wonder how long he had to repeat the same lines. His same speech over and over again, it must be annoying for him. I knew I would be annoyed if I had to repeat the same speech over and over. Like he was told, the boy opened the cage and out came the beautiful spider.

She was a large spider, with the toxic colors of red, purple, and green. She had long hairy legs and a big fat body. I really wanted her. She walked forward slowly, then its legs bent forward and it lowered its body, as though waiting for a fly.

"Madam Octa has been with me for several years," Mr. Crepsley said. "She lives far longer than ordinary spiders. The monk who sold her to me said some of her kind live to be twenty or thirty years old. She is an incredible creatures, both poisonous and intelligent."

While he was speaking the kid walked off stage and came back with a goat, he lead the live creature to the stage. Steve and I knew what was going to happen next. The boy tied it to the table and took a step back.

Mr. Crepsley and the boy took a silver like flute from their pockets. Mr. Crepsley was the first to play while the boy watched. Hearing the notes the deadly spider began moving when it saw the goat. She crept to the edge of the table where she stopped, as if awaiting an order. Mr. Crepsley played a few notes and the spider immediately leaped through the air and landed on the goat's neck.

The goat gave a leap when the spider landed, and began bleating loudly. Madam Octa took no notice to this and hung on. And within a minute she bared her fangs and sunk them deep into the goat's neck. Jessica squeaked but covered her mouth right after, her grip tightened on my hand.

The goat froze and its eyes went wide, the bleating stopped and a few seconds it toppled over. I thought it was dead, but then realized it was still breathing.

"These flutes are how we control Madam Octa," The orange haired vampire spoke; I looked away from the fallen goat and to Jessica for a few seconds. "Though Madam Octa and I have been together for such a long time, she is not a pet, and would surely kill me if I ever lost it.

"This flute is how I control Madam Octa," Mr. Crepsley said, and I looked away from the fallen goat. He waved the flute slowly above his head. "Though we have been together such a long time, she is not a pet, and would surely kill me if I ever lost it."

"The goat is paralyzed," he said. "I have trained Madam Octa not to kill outright with her first bite. The goat would die in the end, if we left it there is no cure for Madam Octa's bite but we shall finish it quickly." He blew on the flute and Madam Octa moved up the goat's neck until she was standing on its ear. She bared her fangs again and bit. The goat shivered, and then went totally still.

It was dead.

Madam Octa dropped from the goat and crawled toward the front of the stage. Jessica gasped her and her friends were going to jump to their feet and leave. For the second time she drew her hand back.

"Don't move!" He hissed. "Remember your earlier warning: A sudden noise could mean death!"

I stared right back at the beautiful spider. Wouldn't it be great if she came to me? I almost forgot about Steve or Jessica. She stopped at the edge and returned my stare. I wonder what she felt like, was she soft? Or was she like the wolf man? All spikey and hard? In a split second she jumped off the stage and landed on my lap.

Steve and Jessica jumped to their feet in an effort to get away from Madam Octa. Mr. Crepsley took a step forward and played a few notes. A small part of me wanted her not to listen, to stay on my lap. Just being this close to her made me almost normal…

Madam Octa didn't listen to the notes being played; she just kept staring up at me as if awaiting orders from _me._ I didn't know how much time had pass, or how long me and this deadly spider had been sharing a look. But Mr. Crepsley stepped off the stage and to me.

"May I have my spider back?" He asked extending his hand so the beautiful Madam Octa could climb upon his hand. She looked at me then him then back to me.

"I-I guess." I gave a small shrug and hated to see the spider crawl from my lap to his hand. He gave Steve a small glare, who the silver haired boy responded with a cocky smile. Mr. Crepsley got back up on stage and continued his act. An act I completely missed.

I left my thoughts when Mr. Crepsley left the stage, the boy and Madam Octa leaving to.

There was another break after Mr. Crepsley and Madam Octa's act. Then that boy, Trevor, why did that look familiar? I swore I've seen it somewhere before, maybe I've read it in a book or something? Jessica and her friends were talking with me and Steve; they were glad that they sat next to us.

During the next break they were selling more items like model Hans Hands, rubber spiders that looked like Madam Octa, and fake beards like the bearded lady's. I already had a rubber spider so I didn't buy anything else.

The lights went down and the next couple acts started. The first one was Gertha Teeth, she told her story about her amazing teeth, she did a few tricks and the next act was on before I knew it. The next act was the twisting twins, Sive and Seersa. When their act was over Mr. Tall came up on stage and thanked everyone for coming.

It took a few seconds before everyone got up. Steve and I exchanged a glance all knowing what came next.

"Come on you guys." Jessica said pulling up her pants a bit. It almost seemed like we all came here together as one big group.

People started to scream and the group of girls stopped and turned to see just what the people were screaming at. And before anyone could say or do anything a huge snake start to slither across the floor, going through the rows and hissing at a bunch of people.

I looked up at the makeshift stage as someone stepped to the middle of the stage, crouched and extended his hand beckoning the snake to him without making a sound. As if he called the snake, the slithering reptile started towards the stage.


	7. Chapter 7

Notes ! : Do you know how hard it is not to call Mr. Crepsley a vampire? Or to not call Evra, Evra? It's very hard ^.^

Chapter Seven – Leave it for after the show

The snake slithered its way up the guy's arm and coiled itself around his body, flicking its forked tongue. The snake was dark and green with a few flecks of bright colors here and there making itself look very deadly.

Jessica, which I found out later that she was deathly afraid of snakes, and had jumped onto my lap and hid her face in my shirt. Steve gave me a glare in which I replied with a cocky smile, I had to be the luckiest teenager in this place.

The one who beckoned the snake had to be at least a year older than Steve and I. He was a little on the thin side with long yellowish green hair. His eyes were oddly shaped, narrow like the snakes, he wore nothing more than a pair of black shorts exposing his scales.

From his head to his toe he was covered in green, gold, and yellow with a tint of blue scales. He was the snake-boy. He was taller then I last remembered, he looked like he had more meat on his bones then the last time I saw him. We met eyes and he smiled at me, as if to say "Lucky man."

With a loud voice, and the snake resting on his shoulder, he spoke.

"Thank you for coming. I was hoping to do some amazing tricks, but my love – " He gestured towards the snake that had coiled itself around his body. " – Has gotten herself sick. Maybe next time?"

"And that, ladies and gentlemen." Mr. Tall said making his way back on the stage. "Was really the end." Taking a step back, the stage smoke rose up his tall figure, and he vanished. The snake boy took a small bow and walked off stage, waving lightly at Steve and me.

More things were sold after the show and Jessica blushed an apology to me, I told her not to worry. I kept out the part that I enjoyed it she might think I was some weirdo. We all, including Steve and Jessica's two friends left when the place was almost empty.

Everyone was talking about the show, even Steve talked. I remember last time he didn't speak, something was on his mind. But now he was bragging how he already knew what was going to happen. Though he didn't seem too happy to see Trever on stage with the orange haired man.

"Did you five enjoy the show?" Mr. Tall asked as we stopped to chat with the owner for a few seconds, there was no one behind us, so we could actually take our time talking. "I guess for _veterans_ like you boys are it wasn't much of a surprise."

"Second time or not, I still enjoyed myself." I smiled.

"Of course you would, you were part of two acts, am I correct?" He asked referring to the bearded lady and the spider incident.

"Uh, yes." I nodded

"You girls weren't scared were you?" He asked the girls, who ended up babbling how there were certain parts that scared them but the rest was fabulous. Steve snapped his fingers and repeated the word fabulous but with more a gayer tone. The girls laugh and we left, a conversation started back up when we were close to the front doors. Jessica had offered to give me her number, for intensions I hoped involved being an item.

I didn't have my phone. I checked all my pockets, but it wasn't there. I doubt I left it in Steve's car, where could it be? Did I drop it?

"Maybe you left it in the car?" Steve suggested with a weak shrug.

"No I remember turning off the sound during Mr. Tall's speech." I said looking back at the deserted building. "It probably fell out my pocket. I'm going to go check."

"Want any help?" Steve suggested taking a step forward.

"I got it." I said turning back toward the building and walked back in.

My phone wasn't anywhere in the halls we walked. I knew none of the other people attending the show could have taken it. We were pretty much the last ones to leave, and if someone took my phone I was never going to hear the end of it.

Walking back into the giant area that had all the chairs I looked around, glancing down each row just in case it bounced out my pocket and into one of the other rows. But nothing, Shit, mom's going to kill me.

Relief washed over me was I saw it, sitting in front of my seat, lit up like I missed a call. I sighed happily and went to pick it up.

"No I can live at least another few years." I laughed knowing my mom would kill me if I lost this expensive touch phone. I hated touch phones; they did the opposite I wanted to do. It would push letters I didn't want, or would call people when I didn't want it to.

Taking a step back was a wrong idea. I mean I didn't even know someone was behind me, but hell I'm not my mom, I don't have eyes in the back of my head. But I backed up into someone. This someone was bigger than me, and I hoped they wouldn't get mad because I came back in here.

"Years can past by in a blink of an eye." The voice said as I swallowed hard, it was familiar, but it wasn't Mr. Talls voice.

"Well, that's why they say life goes by fast." I said to nervous to turn around. So here I was, still against a stranger, who sounded like a guy. Damn it, what luck?

My comment made the man chuckle lightly; I took this chance to take a few steps forward and turned around to see the man. The first thing I noticed was that head full or orange hair, the second thing was his scar. And I broke out laughing, like full on really hilarious joke laughing. It was the worst thing I could have done.

I was alone in a big place with a man that could probably kill me and get away with it. But I couldn't stop laughing. Steve's words rang in my head over and over again. _Why so serious?_

Damn you Steve…Damn you.

Mr. Crepsley waited for me to stop laughing before he spoke, and during that at one point he was holding my shoulders to keep me from falling over. Yes, something that simple made me laugh for a good five minutes.

With a smile on my face, and still holding back my laughter I apologized.

"It's perfectly alright." He said eyeing me suspiciously. "Where's your friends boy?"

I stood up straight the smile vanished from my face. Boy? Did he really call me a boy? "They're waiting for me." I said pushing past him irritated now. "I should get back to them."

I didn't make it far; a hand reached out and grabbed my shoulder stopping me. "Be careful on the friends you pick." He warned. "Some are not as they seem."

I met his eyes and I felt a pang of hurt, like he was a friend I've lost to death. Then something else caught my attention, this made my eyes go wide with fear.

"I've got to go." I said taking a step backwards still staring at the cloaked figure that was standing at least ten feet away from us. Mr. Creplsey's grip tightened and he turned to look at what I was staring at fearfully.

"What do you see boy?" He asked apparently seeing nothing. Looking back at me he noticed I was still staring at something he couldn't see. The orange haired man's voice was calm, like he knew something I didn't. Did he know about the figure that's been haunting my dreams?

"I…I…" I shivered violently as the figure took a step back. "Let me go damn it!" I pushed his hand away and took a few more steps back, then ran towards the door. Heading towards the main door I ran it to yet another person. I knocked us both down.

"Oww….Man, where's the fire?" The snake man asked looking painfully up at me. I quickly stood up and helped him to his feet.

"Sorry, didn't want to keep my friends waiting, Steve would probably leave me here if I took too long." I said waving good bye before he could say anything.


	8. Chapter 8

Notes ! : Added a bit to the first chapter of the original prologue of the Cirque Du freaks.

Chapter Eight – Simply A Joke

I had to walk past my parent's room to get to my room. Their door had been left open and their light on. And like any parents like mine, they stopped me for a small talk. They asked about the movie, in which I replied with 'it was ok'. Then they asked me if I was going to school because of how late it was.

It was three in the morning, what my parents were doing up this late? Well making sure I got home sober, not drunk or high, but sober. It would be cool to go to school and talk about the whole experience. But I don't think I would be awake in all my classes. So I told them I would be staying home.

I then walked to my sister's room in hope of placing the new toys I got from the Cirque on her desk or something. But my heart started to pound, and it really started to hurt. Like my heart was seriously pounding against my rips. I couldn't take this feeling so I left. I would give her my gifts tomorrow.

It looked like it was wrapped in old sepia wrapping paper, it was in a square shape a little on the tall side, and it sat on my bed. This strange present, didn't seem like something my mom would of wrapped, it wasn't colorful or anything, my dad would of just opening given me the present and Annie didn't know how to wrap a present. So who gave it to me?

I first looked for a card, and found on taped to the top of the box. It was a small card, like a business card. It was white with six black words typed out in an old type writer font.

"_To the youngest Prince, Darren Shan_"

I had to reread the card about three times to understand it. Prince? Why was I a prince? Who gave this to me? There was no other name but mine, prince. I smiled a bit this was a joke present.

I looked back to my door making sure it was shut before I opened it up, slowly ripping away the paper until nothing but a box remained. I inhaled before opening the box; I wasn't sure what I was expecting. It could be anything from a piece from a body, or just some books.

Well, they were books, or some sort, more like journals. There were twelve of them, picking up one of the journals I walked over to my desk and set it down. Turning on the desk lap with one hand I pulled the computer to the desk with the other.

So someone sent me journals? Would it be alright to read them? I mean they were someone's personal life. But at the same time they sent it to me, so I'm guessing whoever this was wanted me to read them? Sitting down in the computer chair I looked over the journal…It was mine.

It was a nice old navy blue color journal; I have the same one tucked under my mattress right now. It shouldn't be something I would worry about. The journal I have was bought at Walmart, so anyone could have bought it.

Opening it up I read the first page which had a designed of the words "Eric Silvers Cirque Du Freak". The first page looked like a title page, and designed almost like the flyer from the Cirque Du Freaks. Smiling lightly at the similarity I flipped to the next page.

"_I've always been fascinated by spiders._"

I stared at the words, this was my handwriting. Well it looked similar; it almost looked like my handwriting when I was twelve. It couldn't be though…

"_I use to collect them when I was younger. I'd spend hours rooting through the dusty old shed at the bottom of our garden, hunting the cobwebs or lurking for eight-legged predators. When I found one, I'd bring it in and let it loose in my bedroom._

_It used to drive my mom crazy!"_

With that I looked at the screen to my computer. The computer screen was black, probably on sleep mode. But since I don't use my computer much it was probably off. But there was no way in hell…There just couldn't be anyway… This truly had to be my handwriting! Those were the things I use to do when I was younger! My throat felt dry as I swallowed.

I couldn't help but to turn my computer chair to look at my journal. No, there was no way…

"_Usually, the spider would slip away after no more than a day or two, never to be seen again, but sometimes they hung around longer. I had one who made a cobweb above my bed and stood guard for almost a month. Going to sleep, I used to imagine the spider creeping down, crawling into my mouth, sliding down my throat, and laying loads of eggs in my belly. The baby spiders would hatch after a while and eat me alive, from the inside out._

I loved being scared when I was little.

"

I had turned my attention back towards the book where I continued reading, except this time I leaned back in my chair. Who did this? Who knew all these things? It looked like it had to be me; otherwise someone was just stalking me. I barely wrote in my journal after I turned thirteen.

"_When I was nine, my mom and dad gave me a small tarantula. It wasn't poisonous or very big, but it was the greatest gift I'd ever received. I played with that spider almost every waking hour of the day. Gave it all sorts of treats: flies and cockroaches and tiny worms. Spoiled it rotten._

Then, one day, I did something stupid. I'd been watching a cartoon in which one of the characters was sucked up by a vacuum cleaner. No harm came to him. He squeezed out of the bag, dusty and dirty and mad as hell. It was very funny.

So funny, I tried it myself. With the tarantula."

I remembered that day so well. I was fond of that tarantula, but now it could never compare to my love for Madam Octa. Now that was a tarantula I'd love to keep, if only if it wasn't so poisonous.

"_Needless to say, things didn't happen quite like they did in the cartoon. The spider was ripped to pieces. I cried a lot, but it was too late for tears. My pet was dead, it was my fault, and there was nothing I could do about it._

My parents practically hollered the roof down when they found out what I'd done - the tarantula had cost quite a lot of money. They said I was irresponsible, and from that day on they never again let me have a pet, not even an ordinary garden spider.

"

I couldn't help but to smile at that. Maybe I did write this? Maybe I did write a bunch of stuff, but simply forgot about it? Then how does that explain the other notebooks? Or the wrapped up box?

"_I started with that tale from the past for two reasons. One will become obvious as this book unfolds. The other reason is:_

This is a true story.

I don't expect you to believe me - I wouldn't believe it myself if I hadn't lived it - but it is. Everything I describe in this book happened, just as I tell it.

"

What…?

"_The thing about real life is, when you do something stupid, it normally costs you. In books, the heroes can make as many mistakes as they like. It doesn't matter what they do, because everything works out in the end. They'll beat the bad guys and put things right and everything ends up cool._

In real life, vacuum cleaners kill spiders. If you cross a busy road without looking, you get whacked by a car. If you fall out of a tree, you break some bones.

Real life's nasty. It's cruel. It doesn't care about heroes and happy endings and the way things should be. In real life, bad things happen. People die. Fights are lost. Evil often wins.

I just wanted to make that clear before I began.

"

I looked up to the ceiling not wanting to look back at the book. No, I couldn't have written that. It's my hand writing yes, but it just doesn't seem like something I'd write. What story did I have to tell that was true?

"_One more thing: my name isn't really Eric Silvers. Everything's true in this book, except for names. I've had to change them because... well, by the time you get to the end, you'll understand._

I haven't used any real names, not mine, my sister's, my friends, or teachers. Nobody's. I'm not even going to tell you the name of my town or country. I don't dare. But I will say this, I didn't mean to kill those people. Even if it was for the cause, I didn't mean it.

"

I knew the country where I lived, the town and my friends and family. But, Eric Silvers? That was the name I wanted to change to when I was younger. The idea would always pop into my head when my mom yelled at me, or when I was being scolded.

And killing people? Who in the hell did I kill?

"_Anyway, that's enough of an introduction. If you're ready, let's begin. If this were a made-up story, it would begin at night, with a storm blowing and owls hooting and rattling noises under the bed. But this is a real story, so I have to begin where it really started._"

Closing the book I stood up. This was a joke, some jack ass was just playing with me. That jack ass was probably Steve. He was the one who could copy signatures, he knew about my tarantula, and about the name I wanted to change it to. Only Steve…


End file.
